Hi All,
When last we met, I was debating whether to approach the policy of Stop and Frisk from a historical perspective, or to question its validity by comparing it to cities with similar and dissimilar policies. From there, I would compare New York’s crime rates to those cities, in an effort to understand whether Stop and Frisk poses a true benefit for the police force and the people it watches over.
I have an stronger interest in looking at the relationship between the police and underprivileged people of color, and the historical tensions that leads to controversy and uproar when a policy like Stop and Frisk is proposed. However, I am unsure as to how to approach this question, as there are so many underlying questions, such as which groups should I focus on, which cities, and how crime is perceived by both parties. All while trying to contain my bias against the police force.
I have done some preliminary research; most scholarly sources seem to point to the constitutional implications of a law like Stop and Frisk. A few articles, such as C.R. Sridhar’s “Broken Windows and Zero Tolerance,” explore the controversy surrounding heavy policing for minor offenses in an attempt to prevent larger offenses. Although this does not directly address Stop and Frisk, it does address the complications associated with random policing.
I hope to find more articles that directly relate to my topic, but I may have to look into tweaking my question to get more hits.
-Celeste
Hi Celeste,
I just read your post and can think of two organizations that you can reach out to if you wanted: the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) and the People’s Justice Coalition (PJC), both of which are affiliated with a Cop Watch program in NYC. From what I know, Cop Watch is geared towards helping the public gain self empowerment and accountability in proactively reporting and recording police activity, specifically with Blacks and Latinos.
I have a friend of a friend who was part of a group of people attacked at a Smif-N-Wessun performance last year which helped develop relationships with Cop Watch, PJC, MXGM, and a few other activists who speak out against police violence in NYC. I listed a few resources and persons at the end of this post. Let me know if you want or need any further contact info.
Also, some websites are a little outdated, but the email addresses are checked on frequently enough that you should receive a response within a week.
-Rebecca
MXGM
http://mxgm.org/
http://www.facebook.com/MXGMnational
http://mxgm.org/know-your-rights-information/
http://mxgm.org/new-york-task-force-on-political-prisoners/
PJC
http://www.peoplesjustice.org/site/
Cop Watch NYC
http://www.peoplesjustice.org/site/index.php/Cop-Watch-Network/
http://www.peoplesjustice.org/site/index.php/Latest/Cop-Watch-NYC-Training.html
Kenneth Montgomery
(Lawyer for friend and 4 others [referred to as the Monumental 5] attacked by police at the Smif-N-Wessun show in NYC last year and Professor at Fordham Law)
http://www.kjmontgomerylaw.com/index.html
[email protected]
Kevin Powell
(Activist present at community demonstrations for the Monumental 5)
http://www.kevinpowell.net/
http://www.facebook.com/kevinpowellinbrooklyn?v=feed&story_fbid=340953875567
(He personally responds to e-mails and FB messages)
Monumental 5 Page
http://monumental5.bucktownusa.com/
Oh, and here is a press conference that I went to at City Hall for the Monumental 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGlKGVfomX0
and a video of the actual account @ Tammany Hall last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6qzWsNhJqw&feature=relmfu
(Youtube videos were recorded by “LadyJayUK” who was on site at both occasions)
-Rebecca